Taylor Swift, one of the most recognizable names in entertainment, is moving to protect her world famous image and voice.
The pop superstar filed three trademark applications on April 24, each attempting to protect the likeness of Swift as questions continue to swirl around how artificial intelligence (AI) will respect artistic brands.
The applications, filed individually, look to trademark two voice clips and one image of Swift.
In the voice clips, Swift is heard saying "Hey, it's Taylor Swift" and "Hey, it's Taylor."
The image shows Swift playing a guitar mid-concert.
Josh Gerben, a prominent trademark attorney, explained the ramifications of the trademark applications on "Good Morning America" Tuesday.
"By filing a trademark application that contains her voice...Taylor's lawyers could then make claims that anything that sounds like her voice is a violation of her trademark rights," Gerben said.
He continued, "The challenge with AI is that it can create a song that Taylor's singing that is not a song she wrote."
Swift has been recreated in AI form in several instances over the years, which have then been shared online.
In one instance, President Donald Trump, while campaigning for his second term in August 2024, re-shared on his social media platform one AI-generated image of Swift and others appearing to show her fans falsely endorsing him.
In response, Swift posted on Instagram at the time, "Recently I was made aware that AI of 'me' falsely endorsing Donald Trump’s presidential run was posted to his site," Swift wrote in an Instagram post officially endorsing Harris. "It really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation."
In early 2024, fake sexually explicit AI-generated images of Swift made rounds on social media, prompting then-White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre to tell ABC News the Biden administration was "alarmed" by what happened to Swift online and that Congress "should take legislative action."
The trademark filing is not unique among high-profile entertainers. Actor Matthew McConaughey recently filed trademark to protect his likeness including his famous phrase "Alright, Alright, Alright."
The trademark filings come as the lines between AI and human art are rapidly blending.
Earlier this month, a trailer for the film "As Deep as the Grave" featured the late Val Kilmer returning to the big screen via AI generation. With the approval of his estate, including his daughter Mercedes, filmmakers used generative AI to complete the performance using archival material.
Controversy surrounded AI-generated actress Tilly Norwood as the avatar began to appear on social media last year, before the company that created her released a music video and song addressing the public backlash to their character.
The arrival of Norwood fueled concern around the blurring lines between AI and human art.
"What these filings really do is, it's a novel way to try to address all the different issues that AI is creating," Gerben said.
He added, "Now that you've had Taylor Swift do it, I would expect sort of a flood gates to open and a lot other celebrities and actors and musicians trying to come in and get similar trademark protection."
ABC News has reached out to Swift's team about the filings.
